Sg Besi villagers seeking suitable compensation

Some 20 households in Kampung Pinang Sektor C in Sungai Besi are facing eviction after decades of living there. (Inset) A StarMetro article on Nov 4, 2022, on the situation.

RESIDENTS of Kampung Pinang Sektor C in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, who are facing eviction to make way for a development, are hoping for suitable compensation, including affordable housing units.

They are feeling optimistic of their chances after the matter was brought to the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Azman Abidin.

Azman said he would facilitate a meeting between the relevant parties to discuss solutions.

“I understand that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has not issued a development order for the proposed project.

“There is still room for negotiation to find an amicable solution.

“The best case would be if we could get free or subsidised affordable housing units for the affected residents,” he told StarMetro after a meeting with residents last Saturday.

Azman, who is also Bandar Tun Razak PKR chief, said a previous offer of RM5,000 per household from the developer was insufficient to cover the villagers’ moving costs. Eviction notices were issued on Aug 25, 2022, and residents were ordered to demolish existing structures and vacate by Nov 25 as they had trespassed on land owned by the developer.

The villagers dispute this. They claim that the land had been occupied by their ancestors since 1885 and was used for agriculture and rearing livestock.

When the army camp in Sungai Besi expanded in the 1970s, the residents were asked to stop rearing livestock. Some of them moved out of the area.

There are now only about 20 households left in the village.

Airwan Azali, who will be negotiating on behalf of the Kampung Pinang Sektor C residents, said they had sent a memorandum to Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail last month to seek her help.

Kampung Pinang Sektor C Sungai Besi Kuala Lumpur Residents Association chairman S. Pritam Singh said he was confident that Azman’s intervention would bring a positive outcome for the villagers.

“For the remaining 20 households here, this is the only home we have ever known.

“Many are army veterans and senior citizens, which should be given due consideration,” he said, hoping to find a win-win solution.

StarMetro previously reported that developer Astana Setia & Euro Saga Sdn Bhd (ASES) had been the registered landowner since 2018.

It has plans to develop affordable housing units and condominiums in the area.

ASES director Brendon Lim was quoted as saying that the company had engaged with DBKL, seeking its assistance to relocate the residents to PPR or people’s housing project units in Kuala Lumpur.

He said they would also consider providing ex gratia relief to facilitate villagers’ relocation.